[CLUE-Tech] Escape from RH 8.0

[Jed S. Baer]

Mornin' Ed.

On 02 Mar 2003 00:48:54 -0700
Ed Hill <ed at eh3.com> wrote:

> > Is there some "expert-level" switch I need to throw someplace?
> 
> Theres a number of ways to start different X "sessions" and heres one
> crude but effective method:
> 
>   Forgo the graphical login by editing /etc/inittab to default 
>   to runlevel 3 and then create an .Xclients file in your home 
>   directory that has contents such as:
> 
> # begin ".Xclients"
>   /usr/bin/gnome-panel >& /dev/null &
>   enlightenment
> # end ".Xclients"
> 
>   where you can substitute the command for sawfish instead of 
>   "enlightenment" which I use.
> 
> 
> Note that you can see how the environment gets selected at login by
> looking at scripts such as /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients.

Way ahead of you there. I just recently hacked through all that stuff. In
fact, I used to start X from rl3, using a shell script to invoke my local
.xinitrc. But, I wanted to play around with booting to rl5, and being able
to switch between Gnome and my usual settings. A $HOME/.xsession will
supersede the /etc/X11/xdm/Xclients, and GDM will use it as well.

So now I have .xinitrc and .xsession identical to each other:

xrdb -merge .Xdefaults
xset m 4 7
xset +dpms
xv -root -best24 -quit .Xwallpaper
myterm
sylpheed &
fvwm2

After a little digging, I can now use RH's dialup networking thingy too:
  python /usr/bin/neat-control

But it will only dial/connect, it won't hangup.

I'd still like to get my old dialup chat script to work. It's cleaner and
easier.

But I digress.

I shouldn't have to dig through shell scripts and byzantine Gnome file
hierarchies just to change my default window manager. Nor should I have to
cobble together a script (even though it isn't all that hard) to work
around somebody's dumbing-down of the interface.

> > > Well, you can always switch to Ximian Gnome without much fuss:
> > > 
> > >   ftp://ftp.ximian.com/pub/ximian-gnome/redhat-80-i386
> > > 
> > > as its RPMs will install cleanly on top of RH 8.0.
> > 
> > The question being, will it be an improvement? Will it return all the
> > "lost" functionality? I mean, I can't seem to even configure the
> 
> Dunno.  But if you hate Bluecurve, perhaps its worth a try?  Call me a
> dinosaur but I like Enlightenment and am sticking with it for a while.

Call me a dinosaur, but I still prefer using a VT100 and EDT to edit text
files. ;-) It's a little hard to say whether I prefer Sawfish over Fvwm,
or vice versa. Each has its strong points. I just don't care for
enlightenment.

> > > Edit your /boot/grub/grub.conf file.
> > 
> > [ grub.conf ]
> > default=0
> > timeout=10
> > splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
> > title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14)
> >         root (hd0,0)
> >         kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root=/dev/hda5
> >         initrd /initrd-2.4.18-14.img
> > 
> > I don't see a line that adds that boot parameter, otherwise I sure
> > would remove it. (No I haven't RTFM yet. I'm still to busy fuming. ;-)
> 
> 
> Hmmm.  Well, my /boot/grub/grub.conf looks like this:
> 
> #boot=/dev/hda
> default=0
> timeout=10
> splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
> title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-24.8.0)
>         root (hd0,0)
>         kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-24.8.0 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi vga=6
>         initrd /initrd-2.4.18-24.8.0.img
> 
> and I have no idea where else the "hd?=ide-scsi" kernel option could be
> stashed away.
> 
> Ok, gotta get some sleep...

So do I. Insomnia ... still awake at 3AM. But I'll steal your vga mode
param. ;-)

jed
-- 
I wouldn't even think about bribing a rottweiler with a steak that
didn't weigh more than I do. -- Jason Earl